Our Physician Assistants

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Mary Purdy PA-C

Mary is the lead physician assistant. She has been a physician assistant since 2001. She went to Duquesne University for her undergraduate degree obtaining a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in 2000 and then went on to obtain her Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree at Duquesne University in 2001. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant. She has been working at Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates since 2007. She had two other orthopedic positions at West Penn Hospital and Magee Women’s Hospital prior to working for our group. Mary was born in New Kensington, PA and currently lives in Allegheny Township with her husband, Jim, and two children, Noah and Julia. In her free time, Mary likes to spend time outdoors with her children and spend time with her family and friends.
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Julia Grunebach PA-C

Julia is a certified Physician Assistant who has worked exclusively in orthopedics since graduating from Duquesne in 2017 with a Masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies. She has been working at UPMC since then at Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates at St. Margaret Hospital. Her primary area of focus is on total joint replacements and she assists the surgeons in the operating room as well as rounds on patients in the hospital. Julia works in the clinic seeing new/return patients, post-op evaluations, and joint injections. She is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Physician Assistants in Orthopedic surgery. When she is not working, Julia enjoys spending time with her two German shepherds, reading, and watching movies.
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Maureen McDonough PA-C

Maureen has been a physician assistant since 2014. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences in 2013 and then went on to earn her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from St. Francis University in 2014. She started her career in Pain Management where she worked for 4 years prior to joining Three Rivers Orthopedics in 2018. Here at Three Rivers Orthopedics, Maureen loves working with our post-operative inpatients. Maureen was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA where she continues to live with her two dogs. When not at work Maureen enjoys hiking with her dogs, swimming and cheering on Pittsburgh sports.
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Andrew Figan PA-C

Andrew “Drew” Figan is a certified physician assistant. Drew is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates Team in 2020. Drew has been a physician assistant since 2016. He is a graduate of Gannon University in Erie, PA. He graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Science and then earned his Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Sciences in 2016. Prior to joining Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates, Drew worked with an orthopedic practice in Hermitage, PA. He is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery (PAOS). His clinical interests include all general orthopedics, joint replacements, and orthopedic spine surgery. Drew lives in the north hills with his wife and dog and is an avid golfer and outdoorsman.
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Kristin Lang PA-C

Kristin Lang has been an orthopedic surgery Physician Assistant since 2015. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Wheaton College in Massachusetts in 2012 and then went on to graduate from Weill Cornell’s Physician Assistant program in 2015. She worked at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan for 4 years before moving to Pittsburgh in 2019. After working for another Pittsburgh-based sports medicine practice for 2 years, Kristin joined Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, working out, playing golf, and watching a variety of sports.
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Heidi Mesley, MPAS, PA-C

Heidi has been a physician assistant since 2014. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2012 from Allegheny College and then went on to earn her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from Chatham University in 2014. She started her career in orthopedic surgery with Tri-State Orthopedics where she worked for nearly seven years prior to joining UPP Plastic Surgery in 2020. She joined Three Rivers Orthopedics in 2022 and greatly enjoys working with Dr. Nate Formaini, specializing in upper extremity and sports medicine surgery. Heidi was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA where she continues to live with her husband and two young children. When not at work, Heidi enjoys playing basketball, horseback riding, skiing, reading, and traveling.
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Margaret Oberst PA-C, ATC

Margaret “Maggie” Oberst is a certified physician assistant. Maggie attended Duquesne University and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training in 2017. She then worked as an athletic trainer at a physical therapy clinic providing high school game coverage and care for post-surgical patients while also attending Marshall University. She received a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Exercise Physiology and Human Performance from Marshall University in 2019. From 2019 to 2021, Maggie worked as a full-time athletic trainer at a local high school in Johnstown, PA. She then obtained a Master of Physician Assistant Science degree from Saint Francis University in 2023. When not at work, Maggie enjoys spending time with family and friends, working out, and attending concerts and sporting events.
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Kele Powell PA-C

Kele Powell, PA-C, is an orthopedic surgery physician assistant at Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates. Kele received her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences in 2015 from Penn State University. She then went on to pursue her master’s degree at Mary Baldwin University in Physician Assistant studies and graduated in 2019. While in school she had a rotation with Three Rivers Orthopedics. She worked in general surgery prior to rejoining the team at Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates.
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Julie Richards PA-C

Julie is a certified Physician Assistant who joined Three Rivers Orthopedics in 2021. She went to Duquesne University and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training in 2017. After graduation she worked as an athletic trainer at a fast-paced physical therapy clinic providing rehabilitation for a variety of conditions. She then went on to obtain her Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Chatham University and became board certified in 2021. While in school she had two orthopedic rotations. In her free time, she enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends, and watching and attending Pittsburgh sporting events.
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Madeline Wos, PA-C

Madeline has been a certified orthopedic Physician Assistant for a little over twenty years.  After receiving her bachelor's degree at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, she returned home to Pittsburgh and worked at Pitt in a Cancer Research lab for 3 years.  She then received her Master of Physician Assistant at Chatham University in 2002.  She has worked in Orthopedics since her graduation, beginning her career at Advanced Orthopedics in the South Hills. She then worked with Greater Pittsburgh Orthopedics for 13 years before joining Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates in October 2022.  She is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery (PAOS).  When not at work, she enjoys being outside golfing, skiing, gardening, biking, and cooking with her husband.

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Tyler Spreng MPAS, PA-C

Tyler Spreng has been an orthopedic surgery physician assistant at Three Rivers Orthopedic Associates since 2022. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Science from Saint Francis University. He also serves as a physician assistant and officer in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and has been a member of the military since 2018. His clinical interests include orthopedic spine surgery, trauma, and joint replacements. In his free time, Tyler enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, hunting, and hiking.